Tunnel construction.



S. J. SYDNEY, TUNNEL CONSTRUCTION. APPLICATION FILED saw-.21. 1901.

Patented Aug. 16, 19-10.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SIDNEY J'. SYDNEY, OE PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

TUNNEL CONSTRUCTION.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SIDNEY J. SYDNEY, a citizen of the United States,residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certainImprovements in Tunnel Construction, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to sub-aqueous tunnels and the object of myinvention is to provide means for firmly supporting the same should thematerial upon which they rest be of a yielding nature. Tunnels of thischaracter as ordinarily constructed, are made particularly heavy inorder that they can remain submerged, for it is well known that theirdisplacement is such that they would tend to rise unless held down. Thisincreased weight, however, is frequently of such a character as to causesome difficulty in maintaining them supported upon the material uponwhich they are laid or through which they are passed; and the object ofmy invention is to provide means that will insure their stability. Tothis end, my invention comprises a leg or a series of legs forsupporting the tunnel, which legs extend from the same to bed-rock orother good foundation.

My invention is fully shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1, is a sectional elevation of a portion of a tunnel, showing themanner in which a leg made in accordance with my invention isconstructed and combined with the tunnel to support the same, and Fig.2, shows a similar sectional view of a tunnel with the leg completed.

1 represents the bore of the tunnel, the walls of which are of the usualtype, being generally made of sections such as illustrated at 2, whichare secured together by suitable means and encircle such bore.

At any convenient point at the bottom of such tunnel, I either removecertain of the sections or provide special sections which will providean aperture, preferably circular in shape, to receive a cylindricalmember such as 3, which is placed within the same; the opening throughthe bottom of the tunnel being preferably provided with a flange 4secured to the tunnel sections by suitable means.

The bed of the river or other place in.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 27, 1907.

Patented Aug. 16, 1910.

Serial No. 394,845.

which the leg is to be disposed is excavated down to bed-rock, or tosuch a point as will insure a stable foundation for the leg, and thesection 3 is lowered as fast as the material beneath the same isexcavated in any suitable manner. Other sections will set in positionwith respect to the first section as the excavation deepens, and thesesubsequent sections are preferably secured to each other by any suitablemeans, although in the present drawings I have shown inner collars 5riveted to the sections 8. The eX- cavation continues until the pointdesired is reached when the final section is riveted fast to the flange4 or bolted to the sections of the tunnel immediately surrounding saidopening, and the bore of said sections 2 thus formed is filled withconcrete or other material 6 in the manner illustrated in Fig. 2. Ifdesired, the final section forming said leg may have a cover, and theconcrete, of course, may be provided with metallic reinforces if such isdeemed necessary. The sections may also be provided with cross arms orother retaining means for the concrete, insuring that the leg isintimately connected with the tunnel it is desired to support.

I claim:

1. A supporting leg for tunnels consisting of a series of substantiallycylindrical hol-' low shells, collars internally disposed and riveted toeach pair of shells whereby they may be secured together, and boltsconnecting the upper shell to the tunnel sections, said supporting legextending between the tunnel and solid foundation.

2. A tunnel consisting of a series of metallic sections disposed inannular form and secured together to form a cylindrical structure, alining of concrete for said tunnel, a series of cylindrical sectionsprojecting from the lower portion of the tunnel, means for securing saidsections together and to the tunnel, and a filling of concrete for saidsec tion, said concrete being integral with the concrete lining of thetunnel proper.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

SIDNEY J. SYDNEY.

Witnesses:

MURRAY 0. Bornn, WM. A. BARR.

